Create a Page

Animal Companion

Animal Companions

An animal companion's abilities are determined by the druid's level and its animal racial traits. Table: Animal Companion Base Statistics determines many of the base statistics of the animal companion. They remain creatures of the animal type for purposes of determining which spells can affect them.

Table: Animal Companion Base Statistics

Class Level

HD

BAB

Fort

Ref

Will

Skills

Feats

Natural Armor Bonus

Str/Dex Bonus

Bonus Tricks

Special

1st

2

+1

+3

+3

+0

2

1

+0

+0

1

Link, share spells

2nd

3

+2

+3

+3

+1

3

2

+0

+0

1

—

3rd

3

+2

+3

+3

+1

3

2

+2

+1

2

Evasion

4th

4

+3

+4

+4

+1

4

2

+2

+1

2

Ability score increase

5th

5

+3

+4

+4

+1

5

3

+2

+1

2

—

6th

6

+4

+5

+5

+2

6

3

+4

+2

3

Devotion

7th

6

+4

+5

+5

+2

6

3

+4

+2

3

—

8th

7

+5

+5

+5

+2

7

4

+4

+2

3

—

9th

8

+6

+6

+6

+2

8

4

+6

+3

4

Ability score increase, Multiattack

10th

9

+6

+6

+6

+3

9

5

+6

+3

4

—

11th

9

+6

+6

+6

+3

9

5

+6

+3

4

—

12th

10

+7

+7

+7

+3

10

5

+8

+4

5

—

13th

11

+8

+7

+7

+3

11

6

+8

+4

5

—

14th

12

+9

+8

+8

+4

12

6

+8

+4

5

Ability score increase

15th

12

+9

+8

+8

+4

12

6

+10

+5

6

Improved evasion

16th

13

+9

+8

+8

+4

13

7

+10

+5

6

—

17th

14

+10

+9

+9

+4

14

7

+10

+5

6

—

18th

15

+11

+9

+9

+5

15

8

+12

+6

7

—

19th

15

+11

+9

+9

+5

15

8

+12

+6

7

—

20th

16

+12

+10

+10

+5

16

8

+12

+6

7

Ability score increase

Class Level: This is the character's druid level. The druid's class levels stack with levels of any other classes that are entitled to an animal companion for the purpose of determining the companion's statistics.

HD: This is the total number of eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice the animal companion possesses, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal.

BAB: This is the animal companion's base attack bonus. An animal companion's base attack bonus is the same as that of a druid of a level equal to the animal's HD. Animal companions do not gain additional attacks using their natural weapons for a high base attack bonus.

Fort/Ref/Will: These are the animal companion's base saving throw bonuses. An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves.

Skills: This lists the animal's total skill ranks. Animal companions can assign skill ranks to any skill listed under Animal Skills. If an animal companion increases its Intelligence to 10 or higher, it gains bonus skill ranks as normal. Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can purchase ranks in any skill. An animal companion cannot have more ranks in a skill than it has Hit Dice.

Feats: This is the total number of feats possessed by an animal companion. Animal companions should select their feats from those listed under Animal Feats. Animal companions can select other feats, although they are unable to utilize some feats (such as Martial Weapon Proficiency). Note that animal companions cannot select a feat with a requirement of base attack bonus +1 until they gain their second feat at 3 Hit Dice.

Natural Armor Bonus: The number noted here is an improvement to the animal companion's existing natural armor bonus.

Str/Dex Bonus: Add this modifier to the animal companion's Strength and Dexterity scores.

Bonus Tricks: The value given in this column is the total number of “bonus” tricks that the animal knows in addition to any that the druid might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill for more details on how to teach an animal tricks). These bonus tricks don't require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don't count against the normal limit of tricks known by the animal. The druid selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can't be changed.

Special: This includes a number of abilities gained by animal companions as they increase in power. Each of these bonuses is described below.

Link (Ex): A druid can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if she doesn't have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The druid gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion.

Share Spells (Ex): The druid may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her animal companion (as a spell with a range of touch) instead of on herself. A druid may cast spells on her animal companion even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion's type (animal). Spells cast in this way must come from a class that grants an animal companion. This ability does not allow the animal to share abilities that are not spells, even if they function like spells.

Evasion (Ex): If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex save for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.

Ability Score Increase (Ex): The animal companion adds +1 to one of its ability scores.

Devotion (Ex): An animal companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.

Multiattack: An animal companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the animal companion instead gains a second attack with one of its natural weapons, albeit at a –5 penalty.

Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an animal companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.

Animal Skills

Animal companions can have ranks in any of the following skills: Acrobatics* (Dex), Climb* (Str), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Perception* (Wis), Stealth* (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim* (Str). All of the skills marked with an (*) are class skills for animal companions. Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can put ranks into any skill.